Do you buy lobster tails?

[Mike Boswell]

What answer does anyone have to the question of, "what will they do for a living if you take away all that they have now?"

American workers and businesses are justifiably proud of the safe and decent working conditions provided by American businesses today.

The thought is to encourage Honduran businesses to create safe and decent working conditions for their employees. That is as reasonable in Honduras as it is in America.

When other nations treat their own peoples as well as we do, we will have a level playing field, American workers will be competitive on the global market, and we will see industries and jobs moving back to the US.

 

[randini]

I think I've bought lobster tails once or twice over the past 40 years. I stopped taking my own in 1975, but willingly accept gifts from my dive buddies who do. I rarely eat more than two a year.

Are you saying that the fresh lobster tails now in stores (out of our local season) are coming from Brazil and commercial divers there are getting bent? I wasn't aware of that, so thanks for the info.

Speaking for Chile, you go to any fishing town and can see ex fishermen that are partially paralyzed (probably from diving accidents) in the streets. After seeing the diving practices of college educated divers here in the lab I'm working in (at least they should understand the physics) it's not surprising to me at all. Most of the latter don't even care if they have a SPG or depth gauge. Just give 'em a tank and a reg (even if it occasionally freeflows) and they'll go down, suck a tank dry and shoot back up. I'm sure the fishermen, most of which might not have even finished high school and dive on hookah, care even less and spend just about every night getting drunk before diving (at least that's the way it seems in the town I live in). I'm sure it's no different in Brazil, Honduras or anywhere wlse with terrible education & training

 

[seaducer]

I don't eat tropical lobster at all. First off it is low class, Maine lobster is so much better. Secondly, I prefer a lobster that can fight back. Call me sporting.

But in answer to the real question, I honestly had no idea about lobster divers in other countries. Completly off my radar. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Mike Boswell]

I don't eat tropical lobster at all. First off it is low class, Maine lobster is so much better. Secondly, I prefer a lobster that can fight back. Call me sporting.

But in answer to the real question, I honestly had no idea about lobster divers in other countries. Completly off my radar. Thanks for the heads up.

Maine lobstermen are very proud of their industry and justifiably so. It's hard work, but the fishery is protected and sustainable and the lobstermen enjoy reasonable working conditions and a decent standard of living.

The situation in other countries is far different, and affluent North Americans are in a position to do something about it. Most businessmen will change, if their customers demand change.

 

[timegan]

When other nations treat their own peoples as well as we do, we will have a level playing field, American workers will be competitive on the global market, and we will see industries and jobs moving back to the US.

How true! and you do see it happining slowly. For our country/s it was what, 20 years for our collective labor movments to do just that.... Problem is: how long will it take for the "water" to find it's own level????

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

The store I frequent lists the source as Honduras.

I might wonder if the store is false advertising; what is the FDA's definition of "fresh?"

 

[drrich2]

How true! and you do see it happining slowly. For our country/s it was what, 20 years for our collective labor movments to do just that.... Problem is: how long will it take for the "water" to find it's own level????

I wonder whether U.S. citizens really want that to happen. Consider how much cheap overseas labor contributes to efficient mass production of material goods. How many people REALLY want conditions to equalize between the U.S. and China, Mexico, Indonesia, etc...? Those other countries would experience a jump in standard of living, but the U.S. would probably see a steep drop in mainstream working class material wealth/standard of living.

Richard.

 

[Mike Boswell]

I wonder whether U.S. citizens really want that to happen. Consider how much cheap overseas labor contributes to efficient mass production of material goods. How many people REALLY want conditions to equalize between the U.S. and China, Mexico, Indonesia, etc...? Those other countries would experience a jump in standard of living, but the U.S. would probably see a steep drop in mainstream working class material wealth/standard of living.

Richard.

It is a tough question, and I'm sure there are very smart people in high places arguing about it. But at the end of the day, Americans with no jobs or poorly paying jobs will not enjoy a higher standard of living anytime soon.

But we digress...This thread is about DCS-crippled divers and what, if anything, we should do about it.

 

[diverdoug1]

When I am to lazy to get my own, I buy them (but I think down here i Florida they may be localy caught). I was wondering if a boycot of brazilian lobster tails would help or hinder the lives of the people who do the diving (keeping them from getting bent vs keping them from making a living)? Should we shut down manned space flight because it is dangerous to be an astronaut? (oh yeah, Obama did that ). I donate to support raising awareness of the dangers of DCS in underdeveloped countries via the UHMS, but these divers sound like they may be desperate for resources to live.

 

[caseybird]

I do not buy tropical lobster tails nor do I eat at Red Lobster (one of the largest purchasers of tropical lobster tails), but then I've been to the villages in Honduras at the urging of Bob Izdepski (read Dying for Lobster in the Utne Reader) and seen first hand what has occurred.

Oh my God, Thal: thanks for the link. The idea seems to be, "We kill people but look how much better off the survivors are"! And the food at Red Lobster is GARBAGE! But it's cheap so who cares! We're making money!
This is the argument for local food in a nutshell. Damn.